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When your dog licks you, they are most likely doing so to express affection or communicate submission, indicating that they respect you as their master. [1] X Research source A few licks every now and then are not a problem and may even be endearing. If your dog licks you or your guests obsessively, however, it may get tiresome very quickly. Perhaps more importantly, obsessive licking is often a sign of heightened anxiety, and should be addressed for your dog's sake, as well as your own. Learning how to curb your dog's licking tendencies may help you determine if it's just an outpouring of affection or signs of something more serious.
Steps
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Ignore your dog's licking. If your dog is licking your skin for attention or affection, removing that reward may help curb this obsessive behavior.
- Don't scold your dog. Even a negative reaction is still, in your dog's mind, a reaction to their excessive licking behavior.
- Stop what you are doing, stand up, and leave the room when they engage in prolonged licking. This will help reinforce in your dog's mind that licking will not achieve these desired outcomes. [2] X Research source
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Try dog-appeasing pheromones. Dog-appeasing pheromones, also known as DAP, have been proven as an effective means of treating the obsessive behavior that often accompanies separation anxiety in dogs. [3] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health Go to source These artificial chemicals replicate the pheromones released by a nursing mother dog, which can calm anxious or frightened dogs. [4] X Research sourceAdvertisement
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Change your soap or lotion. It's possible that your dog's licking is caused by a scent or taste that they find desirable. Try using unscented soaps and lotions, and see if your dog's licking declines.
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Use citrus-scented skin products. Though there are exceptions, most dogs are generally repulsed by the smell and taste of citrus. Using a citrus-scented skin product, or even dabbing your skin with a citrus rind, may keep your dog from licking your skin. [5] X Research source
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Keep your dog occupied with toys. Burning energy can help curb negative behaviors, so having a range of toys, including a treat-dispensing toy that challenges their mind, may help curb undesirable behavior like excessive licking. [6] X Trustworthy Source The Humane Society of the United States National organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare Go to source
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Consider medicating your dog. If your dog's licking is part of a larger separation anxiety, you may want to talk to your veterinarian about medication as an option for your pet.
- Clomipramine is often prescribed to pets with anxiety and obsessive compulsive tendencies. The medication helps to counteract obsessive compulsive behavior like licking. [7] X Research source
- Fluoxetine is another common medication prescribed to pets with anxiety. This medication treats canine compulsive disorder with relatively few side effects. [8] X Research source
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Reinforce alternative behaviors. One way to help curb obsessive behavior like licking is to reinforce a different, incompatible behavior. An incompatible behavior in this situation would be any activity that occupies your dog's mouth and keeps them from licking you.
- Start a game of fetch or tug-of-war as soon as they begin licking. This will distract them from whatever anxiety was causing the obsessive licking, and you will make it physically difficult for them to lick you while playing with a toy. [9] X Research source
- Try taking your dog for a walk whenever they lick you. This may condition them to lick you whenever they need to go out, and it may become less of a compulsive behavior.
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Give your dog more exercise. A vigorous workout can help tire your dog out, relieving stress and reducing their desire to lick you. [10] X Research source
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Reward your dog's good behavior. If your dog is licking you because they want your attention, then give it to them while they are behaving appropriately. Rewarding good behavior should take place immediately after your dog has acted responsibly, in order to maximize their association of that action with your reward. Rewarding your dog in this manner will teach them that calm, “normal” behavior is desirable. [11] X Trustworthy Source The Humane Society of the United States National organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare Go to source
- Try playing a game where you let your dog catch you, then give them a treat right before they stick out its tongues to lick you. It can be tricky to get the timing right, but if you do this enough, your dog will stop licking you. [12]
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Expert Source
Elisabeth Weiss
Professional Dog Trainer Expert Interview. 3 September 2020.
- Try playing a game where you let your dog catch you, then give them a treat right before they stick out its tongues to lick you. It can be tricky to get the timing right, but if you do this enough, your dog will stop licking you. [12]
X
Expert Source
Elisabeth Weiss
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Train your dog to lick on command. This will help teach your dog that licking is only acceptable when you initiate it.
- Choose a word to initiate licking. It can be "lick," "kiss," or any other word you want your dog to associate with licking.
- Hold out your hand while saying the command word you've chosen. You can use a small dab of peanut butter on your hand to prompt licking in the early phases of training. However, this option should only be taken if you know your dog is not aggressive with food.
- Issue an end command, such as "stop," "no more," or "no kiss." Wait to see if your dog responds on their own. If they stop licking, even for a few seconds, reward them. If not, repeat the command and move your hand away.
- Praise your dog when they lick and stops on command. Praising your dog's good behavior is crucial in training them to respond to your commands.
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Be consistent. If you want your dog to stop licking you, you must commit to stopping the behavior altogether. You cannot praise your dog for licking you one day and scold them for the same behavior the next. Doing so will only confuse your dog, making it harder for them to understand what you want from them. Remember, any type of training requires patience, dedication, and consistency. [13] X Research source
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Join the Discussion...
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Expert Q&A
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QuestionHow do I get my dog to stop licking my Mattress?Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.The mattress will smell strongly of you, so it is a keen trigger to licking behavior. Try not to react directly, as telling the dog to stop may accidentally give him attention. Instead, distract him with a squeaky toy and then call him over, get him to "Sit" and then reward the sit.
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QuestionI'm ticklish and my friend's dog licks me so that I laugh so much I can't talk. I'm too shy to mention this to my friend. What should I do?Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.The dog will think it's a fantastic game, licking someone who responds with gales of laughter. Unfortunately, this is also teaching the dog to lick you as your reaction is rewarding his behavior. The best policy is to be honest with your friend, but if that is too difficult, perhaps explain the dog is learning bad habits by licking you and it would be best if the friend called him off.
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QuestionHow do I get my dog to stop licking me all the time?Elisabeth Weiss is a Professional Dog Trainer and owner of Dog Relations NYC, a dog training service in New York, New York. Elisabeth relies on science-based, force-free, and reward-based techniques. Elisabeth offers behavior training, puppy manners, body awareness and injury prevention, diet, exercise and dog nutrition services. Her work has been featured in New York Magazine and on the Dog Save the People podcast. She also trained all the dogs in the movie "Heart of a Dog" by Laurie Anderson that features Elisabeth's journey with Laurie Anderson's and Lou Reed's dog Lolabelle and how her passion for playing the keyboards played a significant role in improving her quality of life after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.Play a game where you let your dog catch you, but give them a treat right before they actually stick their tongue out to lick you. It's difficult to get the timing just right, but if you can do it, they'll eventually stop licking you.
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Tips
- If your dog does not respond to any of the measures you take to prevent them from licking you, they may need more training or medication to correct the underlying anxiety. Contact a certified dog trainer in your local area for more advice.Thanks
- Try to keep your dog busy with something else and don't get too close to their snout.Thanks
Tips from our Readers
The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
- Try using a lick mat that has a textured surface. You can even put treats like peanut butter on it for your dog.
- When your dog licks you, make sure to wash that part thoroughly with soap because dog saliva contains bacteria.
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References
- ↑ http://www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows/its-me-or-dog/training-tips/dog-licking/
- ↑ http://www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows/its-me-or-dog/training-tips/dog-licking/
- ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2839826/
- ↑ http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/13_9/features/Dogs-With-OCD_20062-1.html
- ↑ http://thebark.com/content/most-dogs-hate-smell-citrus
- ↑ https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/safe-dog-toys
- ↑ https://www.dvm360.com/view/help-my-dog-licks-everything?%0A%09%09%09=&pageID=6&id=&date=&sk=
- ↑ https://www.dvm360.com/view/help-my-dog-licks-everything?date=&id=&pageID=7&sk=
- ↑ http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/13_9/features/Dogs-With-OCD_20062-1.html
- ↑ http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/13_9/features/Dogs-With-OCD_20062-1.html
- ↑ https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/positive-reinforcement-training
- ↑ Elisabeth Weiss. Professional Dog Trainer. Expert Interview. 3 September 2020.
- ↑ http://www.pmarinc.org/consistency-in-training/
About This Article
Article Summary
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If you want to stop a dog from licking you, ignore it at first. Stop what you are doing, stand up, and leave the room if the dog won’t stop licking you. Don’t scold the dog, as this can create a negative reinforcement and actually make the problem worse. Since most dogs hate the smell of citrus, washing with a citrus-scented soap may keep your dog from licking your skin as well. For tips from our veterinary reviewer on how exercising your dog could stop it from licking you, read on!
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Reader Success Stories
- "My dog has been licking us constantly; since we first allowed him one lick, it's been non-stop. He was clearly doing it for attention. Now that we are ignoring him when he licks, he's fine. Thanks, wikiHow!" ..." more
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"My dog has been licking us constantly; since we first allowed him one lick, it's been non-stop. He was clearly doing it for attention. Now that we are ignoring him when he licks, he's fine. Thanks, wikiHow!"
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"It explained how to stop my dog from excessive licking in a very positive way. I don't want my dog to think I am telling him off when he licks, and this article showed me how to do it successfully."
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"I just had to put my nearly 11 year old staffy down and my nearly 5-year-old rescue cross Staffy looks so sad and misses him, and you can see it on her face."
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"All the tips to curb her licking made a huge difference in how much she tries licking me, especially when I get home!"
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"It explained our new pit bull is just anxious, and will probably stop licking so much after she settles in."
